Animal Rescue

The centre is home to a range of animals including dogs, cows and donkeys, many of whom have been rescued from the streets of Udaipur. Volunteers will carry out a variety of different roles depending on the needs of the project at the time. Volunteers may be involved in:

• daily sessions in the dog areas- comforting, bathing, feeding and walking
• one to one time with paralysed and recently injured dogs
• caring for animals after their initial treatments
• cleaning the animal enclosures and preparing food
• assisting the vets and nurses
• helping the local team care for abandoned puppies
• monitoring the animals and helping with their rehabilitation
• work alongside the local team giving physical and hydro-therapy to disabled animals

Volunteers provide hands-on help and care to the many animals on site. During your first week you will have daily Hindi lessons and volunteers who stay for 2 weeks + will have a tour of the main attractions around Udaipur (including the Monsoon Palace and Jain Temple).

Working days and hours

Volunteers normally work 5 days a week and have weekends off. Generally volunteers work around 6 - 8 hours per day.

Other volunteers

There are normally 1-3 volunteers who work with local volunteers and staff at the centre. Animal Rescue, Child Care and Community Education volunteers in India all live together so there is normally 5 to 12 volunteers at the accommodation.

Some volunteers choose to combine the different volunteer roles while in India.

Closure dates

This project is closed between the 13 May - 24 June 2018.

Volunteer reviews

Read about volunteer experiences and challenges in our India Animal Rescue volunteering reviews.

With many of the animals on site requiring daily care and monitoring the additional help from volunteers is vital. The support from volunteers allows the centre to provide an exceptionally high level of care to the animals as well as allowing them to increase their capacity for animals they can rescue and care for.

The project that you will join in India provides continuous support and care for the street animals of Udaipur; many of which have been abused, neglected, ill or injured. The project was established in 2002 and the team often rescue more than 3,500 animals each year.

The Animal Rescue centre runs a home and sanctuary for dogs, cows, donkeys, pigs, goats and other animals who cannot be returned to the street after their treatment. This is a 3 acres area of land where the animals can roam, play, sleep and investigate throughout the day.

The centre also works hard to educate the local community on animal welfare and inspire them to protect the lives of all animals. The project provides veterinary treatment and care to animals who would otherwise be left to fend for themselves on the streets of the city.

The project is based on the outskirts of Udaipur, which is a colourful Indian city with palaces and temples surrounded by mountains and with two lakes at its centre.

Volunteers live in a family guesthouse alongside the local team. Each bedroom has its own bathroom. You will share a room with up to 3 other volunteers. Rooms are allocated on a single-sex basis. The accommodation is simple but clean and has a TV room, dining room, kitchen, resources and lesson planning area and has Wi-Fi.

You can easily organise yoga, cooking, dance or henna classes when you arrive at the volunteer accommodation which are a great way to learn about Indian culture. The area is a fantastic base from which to explore India, with the Taj Mahal easily accessible you could choose to visit it on your weekends off.

Before you go:

• Carefully selected and vetted volunteer project
• Support from our friendly and highly experienced Pod UK team
• Single point of contact - Gemma is your dedicated placement manager
• In-depth Volunteering Guide on your volunteering placement
• Travel information - visa, health and safety advice
• Access to specialist travel insurance at exclusive rates
• Recommended travel agency for flights and tours
• Access to special deals and resources
• Fundraising guide and support
• Financial protection for monies paid to Pod

On your placement:

• Animal care volunteering placement
• Airport pick up from Udaipur airport and return transfer
• Accommodation - shared room
• Induction to the placement and culture
• Hindi language lessons
• Food - all main meals
• 2 day tours of the city and local sights (for 2 week + placements)
• Onsite support from local team
• Support from Pod UK office by phone and email
• 24/7 emergency back up
• Incident Management and Emergency Response Plans

On your return:

• Contact from your placement manager
• Feedback scheme
• Volunteering certificate (on request)
• References (on request)
• Member of the Pod community

Not included: Flights, travel insurance, visa. Budgeting guidance is provided in our Volunteering Guide which we will email you when you apply.

Pod Volunteer is run as a non-profit organisation. Fee levels are set to match costs and any surplus monies are distributed to the projects we work with via the Pod Charity.